Grass-mower



R. DVORAK.

emss MOWER. APPLICATION FILED MAY 27, I918.

1,365,229. Patented Jan. 11, 1921.

INVENTOR .Ru dal vh firoral WITNESSES I 13 Mai; BY flCZMM/VLW" ATTORNEYUNITED'S TATES PATENT OFFICE.

RUDOLPH DVORAK, OF CARTER, SOUTH DAKOTA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO FRANKHURLBURT AND R. H. MOLITOR, BOTH OF WINNER, SOUTH DAKOTA.

GRASS-MOWER.

Application filed May 27, 1818.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, RUDOLPH DVORAK, acitizen of the United States, residing at Carter, in the county of Trippand State of South Dakota, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Grass-Mowers, of which the'following is a specification.

My invention relates to a mowing machine employing a stationary fingerbar and a reciprocating'knife blade, and the principal object of theinvention is to provide means whereby the knife blade may be easily andquickly removed orreplaced.

Another object of my invention resides in the provision of a device ofthe above mentioned character including means whereby the knife blademay be lifted directly out of its retaining member, without having toslide it across the machine as heretofore.

Another object of my invention resides in the provision of means wherebythe locking bar is moved upwardly away from the knife blade.

Another object of my invention resides in the provision of simple andefficient means for hinging the locking bar to the finger bar.

The invention also consists in certain other features of constructionand in the are ran 'ement and combination of the several parts to behereinafter fully described and specifically pointed out in the appendedclaims.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of the description, andwherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughoutthe several views,

Figure 1 is a top plan of the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the. end of the pitman, with the means forconnecting the same to the knife blade.

Fig. 8 is a vertical longitudinal section of the invention taken on theline 34-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical section through one end ofthe invention, to clearly illustrate the formation andconstruction ofthe pins and slots.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged transverse section taken on the line 55 of Fig. 1,and

Fig. 6 isan enlarged transverse section through the invention taken ontheline 6--6 of Fig. 1. I

In the drawings, wherein is shown a preferred embodiment of myinvention,- the nu- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 11, 1921.

Serial No. 236,867.

meral 1 designates the finger bar of a mowingmachine, upon which ismounteda reciprocatory knife blade 2. This blade is provided with aplurality of longitudinally extending and spaced slots for a purposewhich will hereinafter appear.

The means I employ for detachably retaining the knife blade upon thefinger bar consists essentially of an elongated plate 3, which extendslongitudinally of the finger bar 1. When in an operative position, thelocking bar normally engages the upper face ofthe knife blade'to retainthe knife blade in its proper position upon the finger bar. As clearlyshown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, I provide a plurality. of spaced slots5, adjacent the rear edge of the locking bar, and these slots extendlongitudinally of the locking bar. A staple-41 is provided for-each slot5, whereby one leg of each staple may pass through each slot. As clearlyshown in .Fig. 5 of the drawings, the staples are secured in the fingerbar and accordingly form hinging means for thelocking barand at the sametime. provides a means whereby the locking bar may execute longitudinalmovement with relation to the finger bar.

The locking bar carries a plurality of spaced guards 6 adjacent itsforward edge. The forward ends of these guards are reduced and bentdownwardly to frictionally engage with the knife blade so as to preventvertical movement of the knife blade during its reciprocatory movements.The guards 6 are secured to the locking bar by means of rivets 7 or thelike as clearlyv shown in Figs. 1. and 3. Each guard is provided with asquare opening 8 to secure therein pins 9 and these pins pass throughthe locking bar and extend a substantial distance below the bottom ofthe locking bar. The upper ends ofthe pins 9 are square and a part ofthe square portions pass through elongated slots in the knife blade,when the locking plate is in a locked position. Of course, these slotsare spaced apart longitudinally of the knife blade to accommodate thespaced pins, and the slots are of such length that they permitreciprocatory movement of the'blade when the pins 9 extend therethrough.

The lower ends of the pins 9 are angularly arranged, as more clearlyshown in Fig. 4,

and engage corresponding angularly ar ranged openings in the fingerbar 1. In order; that the, locking band may; movelongitudinally upon thefinger bar and swing vertically thereofon its pivot staples 4, theangularly arranged lower ends of the pins 9 and the openings in thefinger bar extend longitudinally of the finger bar.

The locking bar is retained in engagement with the knife blade with itspins 9 in engagement with the openings in the finger bar, by means ofthe lever 11 which is pivoted between its ends to the finger, by meansof the pivot 12. The forward end 13 of this lever is pivotally engagedwith the locking bar, so that the bar may move longitudinally and swingvertically when the lever is actuated. A rod 14: pivotally connected byone end to the lever 11, has its other end passing through an eye bolt15 and a coiled spring 16 is mounted upon the rod 1 1, said springacting against the lever 11 so as to normally force the locking bar insuch a position that the pins 9 are engaged with their respectiveopenings in the finger bar.

It will therefore be apparent that this lever together with the staples4E and pins 9 form a secure means for detachably retaining the knifeblade upon the finger bar whereby the blade may reciprocate freely butis prevented from vertical or lateral movement with relation to thefinger bar.

I provide the following means for connecting the pitman 17 with theknife blade 2, such means consisting of two resilient members 18attached to or forming part of the pitman having openings 19 at the freeends thereof for engaging a lug 20 on the head of the knife blade. A cammember 21 located 011 the pitman and carrying a bolt 22 pivoted to thecam lever and 23 and assing through the members 18, serves to hold thetwo members in engagement with the lug, said members disengaging the lugwhen the cam member is swung to release its pressure upon said members18, by means of a coiled spring 24 on the bolt 22 and located betweenthe two members. in engagement with the pitman by means of a spring clip25 and the bolt 22 is prevented from turning by means of a spring 26engaging the nut 27 on the bolt. It will be seen that by swinging thelever 21 forwardly, pressure of its head on the members 18 of the pitmanis relieved and the spring 2 1 forces these members apart so as todisengage the lug 20, thus freeing the knife blade from the pitman.

When it is desired to remove the knife blade 2 from the finger bar, thelever 11 is swung against the tension of the coil spring 16, whichaction causes the locking bar to move longitudinally of the finger bar.During this longitudinal movement, the angularly arranged ends of thepins 9 will of course move upwardly of the openings 10 in the finger barand thereby cause the locking bar to elevate itself. However,'-theelevat- The lever is held ing motion of the locking bar will beconvertedinto a swinging motion by means of the staple 4 and slot 5arrangement. As the knife blade is relatively thin, the angularlyarranged ends of the pins 9 will experience no difficulty in swingingthrough the elongated slots of the blade.

The foregoing description and the drawings have reference to what may beconsidered the preferred, or approved form of my invention. It is to beunderstood that I may make such changes in construction and arrangementand combination of parts, materials, dimensions, etc., as may proveexpedient or fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. I11 a mowing machine, a finger bar, a knife blade mounted thereon, alockingbar for retaining said blade in position upon the finger bar, andmeans for transmitting longitudinal sliding and vertical swingingmovement to the locking bar for disengaging it from the knife blade.

2. In a mowing machine, a finger bar, a knife blade mounted thereon, alocking bar for retaining said blade in position upon said finger bar, alever for movin said locking bar longitudinally of the kmfe blade, and

.means carried by the locking bar and cooperating with the finger barfor giving vertical swinging movement to the locking bar during itslongitudinal movement.

8. In a mowing machine, a finger bar, a knife blade mounted thereon, alocking bar hingedly connected to said finger bar and having elongatedslots therein, staples secured to said finger bar and operating in saidslots, and means for transmitting longitudinal and vertical movement tosaid hingedly connected locking bar.

4. In a mowing machine, a finger bar, a knife blade mounted thereon, alocking bar for retaining said knife blade upon the finger bar, a leverpivotally connected with said finger bar and with said locking bar tonormally retain said locking bar in engagement with said knife blade toprevent swinging movement of the locking bar, and means for elevatingthe locking bar from said knife blade when said lever is actuated.

5. In a mowing machine, a finger bar, a knife blade mounted thereon, alocking bar hinged to the finger bar, and means for holding the lockingbar down on the knife blade and actuating said bar to disengage it fromthe knife blade.

6. In a mowing machine, a finger bar having a plurality of angularlyarranged openings therein, a knife blade mounted thereon and having aplurality of slots therethrough to aline with the openings in saidfinger bar,

a locking bar hinged to said finger bar, a

plurality of pins secured to said locking bar and extending through theopenings in the knife blade, the free ends of said pins being angularlyarranged to fit the openings in the finger bar, and means for actuatingsaid locking bar whereby it is given longitudinal and vertical swingingmovement with relation to the finger bar to disengage the locking barand said pins from said knife blade.

7. In a mowing machine, the combination with a knife blade having aplurality of slots therein, of a locking bar, a finger bar, means forhingedly connecting said locking bar to the finger bar, a plurality ofpins carried by the locking bar and extending through the slots in saidknife blade, and means for detachably retaining said pins in said slots.

8. In a mowing machine, a finger bar having holes therein, a knife bladeon said bar, a locking bar having pins thereon engaging with the holesfor retaining the locking bar on the knife blade, and means for holdingthe pins in engagement with said holes.

9. In a mowing machine, a finger bar having angularly arranged holestherein, a knife blade thereon, a locking bar having angularly arrangedpins adapted to engage with said angularly arranged holes, said lockingbar having slots therein, staples on the finger bar engaging with saidslots, and spring controlled means for holding the pins on the lockingbar in engagement with the an larly arranged holes.

10. n a mowing machine, a finger bar having angularly arranged holestherein, a locking bar having angularly arranged pins adapted to engagewith the holes, staples on the finger bar, said locking bar having slotstherein with which the staples engage, a lever pivoted on the finger barand having one end pivotally engaged with said locking bar, and a springengaging the other end of the lever for holding the locking bar with itspins in engagement with the angularly arranged holes.

11. In a mowin machine, a finger bar, a knife blade, a locking barmounted upon the finger bar and having longitudinal and pivotalmovement, locking means carried by the locking bar and adapted to beengaged and disengaged from the finger bar by movement of the lockingbar, and means for preventing movement of the locking bar when in anoperative position.

12. In a mowing machine, a finger bar, a vknife blade mounted thereonand a lock ing bar extending longitudinally of the finger bar and havingmeans extending through said blade to prevent accidenta displacement ofthe blade.

13. In a mowing machine, a finger bar, a knife blade, a locking barmounted on the finger bar and having longitudinal and pivotal movement,and fastening means carried between the locking bar and finger baradapted to be engaged and disengaged by longitudinal movement of thelocking bar.

14. In a mowing machine, a finger bar, a knife blade, a locking barmounted on the finger bar and having longitudinal and pivotal movement,fastening means betweenthe locking bar and finger bar adapted to beengaged and disengaged by longitudinal movement of the locking bar, andmeans for securing the locking bar against longitudinal movement when inan operative position.

15. In a mowing machine, a finger bar, and a knife blade, a locking barfor holding the knife blade in place upon the finger bar, and fasteningmeans between the locking bar and finger bar adapted to be engaged anddisengaged by a relative sliding movement of the locking bar.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

RUDOLPH DVORAK.

Witnesses:

R. H. MOLITOR, F. M. HURLBURT.

